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Sunday, 18 December 2011

Terengganu to have afternoon matches as stadiums floodlights not upgraded

The Terengganu state government will not upgrade the floodlights at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium although the existing lights did not meet the international standard.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said the floodlights had been upgraded last year to meet the national standard of 800 lux while the international standard required was 3,000 lux.

"Since the international standard is 3,000 lux it will involve a high cost because new pillars and cables need to be installed.

"We do not want to carry out such upgrading work twice...people will call the government 'stupid' for such an act," he told reporters after attending a Wisma Darul Iman's Family Day at the Gong Badak Stadium near here Saturday.

Terengganu who have qualified for the Asian Club championship for the first time in its history after winning the FA Cup must upgrade the floodlights at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium to host their home matches.

He said the state government was not informed of the international standard requirement by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) or the Terengganu Football Association.

The state government would not have had any problem to install the floodlights as per the international standard if such a requirement was made known earlier (before the upgrading last year).

"Therefore, let the floodlights matter aside for the time being. If Terengganu are playing in the competition, they can still play in the afternoon," he said.

In the Asian Club Championship, Terengganu are drawn in Group F with Kitchee FC from Hong Kong, Song Lam Nghe An (Vietnam) and Tampenis Rovers (Singapore).